Damsel in Distress
by ginne-fletcher
Summary: Can Mai deal with always being the 'damsel in distress' of the situation or is it too hard for her? Chapter one, a conversation with our beloved John. CAHPTER 3 IS UP PS:Find out next time who's face it is in the mirror :
1. A Random Conversation

This story has been edited due to the fact that I was kindly told that John was an Australian, not an American!! Sorry about the mistake!!!

**Disclaimer: I don not have any ownership over ghost hunt and will not use this story to profit myself in any way other than luring people to review me.**

**Hello! This is probably the first time you've seen me on FF, seeing as the last story I wrote was written around a year ago and sucked terribly. There is no PG-13 content in here, by the way, I just wanted to rate it for the pure fact that I know that I will put large amounts of it in later. I have no idea whatsoever how this story will turn out so R&R please!!! ******

**Thankees for anything and everything-mostly actually standing my stories. I would love to know ways which to improve, however, I would prefere having little to no flames and only if you REALLY think it needs it. I t might be sligh Mai or John centric, by the way, so I'll say sorry ahead of time!!**

Prologue

Mai looked around the empty office in dismay. "Now just where IS everybody?" She said annoyed, "I bet Naru found some freak job and 'forgot' to inform me. He can be such a pain sometimes."

"Well, Naru's Naru."

Mai jumped at the voice coming from behind her. Turning around she saw John in the doorway smiling his usual you-know-I'm–innocent smile that he did so often.

"I'm sorry," he said, looking slightly guilty, while having a definite bemused look twinkling in his eyes, "did I startle you? Its just you were looking around for people so I figured that you'd be paying more attention…"

Mai blushed vigorously, glaring at the sandy blonde Australian. "Hey, people tend to be jumpy when their alone-especially if-"She cut herself off, her blush deepening until she was the nice red color of a bell pepper.

John, however only smiled. "Especially if you do what we do, right?"

Mai looked down at the floor now-there was a strange speck on the rug that had-urm-caught her attention.

"Don't worry," he said sighing, "it's to be expected. Especially for you, with all the trouble you seem to always be getting yourself in. I guess you're just an interesting subject for them. How can we know-you might even have another hidden power to help get their attention. I wouldn't be surprised with all that we've been finding out about you; you seem to be a very talented person."

"I don't know about that…" She said looking at the wall, her eyes now serious, "If I was that talented then I should be able to help people more often than being the 'damsel in distress'."

"What do you mean?"

"It's just-," she stopped suddenly, frowning at his worried expression before giggling softly, "Don't look at me like that! Jeez John, who knew you could look so intense?"

It was John's turn to blush, "And like you can say anything, you should have seen YOUR face a moment ago. So unlike you!"

Mai glared daggers at the priest's now smirking face as he began to crack up as he saw her face change. "Why you little-how dare you say that! You… you..."

Both of them were now laughing all out as Mai attempted to regain her composure and think up a better come back. Pretending to glare at him again she did an over exaggerated defiant pout, before turning to the door and exiting it, "You know what, I give up. You're mean so I'm going to leave!"

"Whatever you say!" John called after the pretend-raging teen, "Like I care!"

When finally her foot steps disappeared John's eyes went back to their earlier worried disposition. "You never answered my question…" He murmured to himself, "And you're wrong, I don't know where we'd be without you always cheering us on and making us actually so things…"

Sighing once again John looked at the clock before suddenly remembering. "Oops…" he said looking down the hallway where Mai had previously exited, "I forgot to tell her that it was an off day, I only came in to pick up a paper."

Continue to look down the hall the Australian shrugged. "Oh well, she'll find out eventually."

**THANX FOR READING!!!**

**Ginne Fletcher-also known as Blackrose Ki**


	2. Intruder Alert

**Hi again!! And sorry for the wait, Im currently on vacation, so comps can be hard to find. Although, I was able to eventually get my brother to let me use his laptop, yes! Once again, I'm sooo sorry for the mistake about John in the last chapter, I can't believe I forgot that!! This chapters actually a little more focused on a new mystery then Mai, so all ya'll who were waiting for more of that, at least there's a part at the beginning. Once again, alittle short, and I'm sorry about that!!**

**Oh yeah, I almost forgot, Thanks all you reviewers, I think I messaged all of you and whoever I forgot, I'm soo sooo Sorry!! And special kudos to hiya24, Ilove you, you saved me in this story!!! Thnx soooo friggin much, I'm in total writers block right now :P R&R please!! The more reviews the faster I'll be-sorry this time, but you did make me feel guilty if that helps!! This is the most I've ever got, so yay!! One more thing before I go, Thanks Angeluv for the alert :) Hope you enjoy!**

Mai walked into the office silently, putting her small backpack down by the door and hanging her coat up on the coat rack which was right by it. Looking around she saw that everyone was there. Her eyes, however, stopped at Naru, who was currently giving her that cheshire cat grin of his.

"What'cha looking at?" She said coldly turning around to review the cases on the table in the middle of the room.

"Nothing," He said still grinning at her, she could feel his eyes bearing into her back, "It's just, I heard that you had a wonderful time here yesterday. Funny, I must have been hallucinating or something because I thought that it was still the weekend. And, being the weekend, I naturally assumed that the day was off."

Mai's face turned completely beet red and she stormed out of the room, slamming the door loudly on her way out.

"Hmmm," Naru said to himself, "Was it form anger or embarrassment? Sometimes I must wonder."

At this four out of the five other people remaining in the room gave Naru an odd look before sighing. They were more than used to his and Mai's bickering. After all, it did create the majority of entertainment that they received during the day.

Shrugging Naru looked over to John. "How long did she stay, anyways?" He asked looking at the blonde emotionlessly.

John jumped, slightly startled. He had been thinking. "Ummm…" The blonde said, pondering the question, "I don't know, really. She was still there when I left, although it seemed like she had already been there for a decent amount of time."

Naru just nodded and turned back before something suddenly occurred to him. "What if…"

"Hmmm?" Monk raised an eyebrow at Naru's expression, "Something wrong?"

Naru glared at the blonde coldly. "Of course not. Its just I was thinking-"

"Thank the gods your doing that for once…" Monk murmured glaring sideways at the wall.

Naru's glare deepened as he looked away from his fellow ghost hunter, "As I was saying. I was thinking that maybe it wasn't pure coincidence that Mai ended up here yesterday."

"Are you saying that there was some kind of presence here that caught here attention?" John said, his attention now caught.

"That's precisely what I was saying," Naru said, a smirk beginning to play across his lips, "What if there was a sort of presence here that drew Mai's attention. It could definitely be possible that something. Or should I say someone, could have been here at that time."

At that Masako shook her head disapprovingly, her short hair waved around her head as she stood up from her seat in the corner and moved to the table near the desk. Still standing she looked at Naru firmly. "It's not possible." She said, turning to look at John, "We've been here the whole time, or do you truly believe that someone was killed within this building since we were last her. Plus," She waved her hand towards the other people occupying the room, "Don't you think at least one of us would have sensed it by now? Especially if it had been here for a longer period of time."

"That's true… but then why would Mai have been dragged here like that? I mean I know she can be ditsy, but to stay here that long…" Monk said, now wearing that serious face that he always seemed to get when it was needed.

Naru thought for a second before a thought suddenly struck him. "But what if…?"

Attention returned to him and his desk which lay in the back of the room-which somehow still got across the point that it was the main attraction. "If what…?" Monk said, now curious.

"What I mean," Naru said, standing up, "Is what if the person hasn't died yet."

Monks eyes widened in shock, "You can't possibly be saying that...!"

**Chappy End**

**MWAHAHA CLIFFY!!!! Sorry I had to do that! I know that this chapter isn't quite as focused around the main story about Mai, but as all other Ghost hunt books (I'm gonna buy the 8****th**** as sooon as I can, by the way, its out… YES!!) urm… Anyway… Like all the books there always has to be SOME mystery for the crew to focus around. By the way, I'm sorry but this is my first mystery,so… At least I know where its going, right? If any of ya'll can figure out what exactly is going on then cookies for you:P And I might let you do something... not quite sure what, but hey! There is something that it could be and its rather well known, so it shouldn't be too had. Anyways, I hope you likd it, and I should have another chappy up as soon as possible!! See yas laters:)**

**-Ginne Fletcher**


	3. Omens

**And I know what you're all thinking: "Heh, looky at this, she ISN'T dead (But of course she will be soon)". I know, I know I didn't even keep up w/ what I said on the thing… but I finished, so I guess it works. Sry that this is kind of short, but the way, but I think that it was a good place to stop.**

Chapter 3

Omens

"Yes." Naru affirmed to Monk, nodding in his direction, "That's exactly what I presume."

Masako looked blankly between the two ghost hunters, "I'm sorry, but I don't exactly get what you're saying."

"Don't tell me that you don't know what we mean? Jeez, you really are an amateur." Monk said, grinning at the women with a twinkle in his eyes.

Masako glared at him profusely, hands clenched and face red. "I'M the amateur?! Like you have anything on me! I mean seriously, when was the last time you did anything to help with are jobs."

Before the argument could continue John cleared his throat loudly, signaling silence. However, he blushed, rather ashamed, as attention was directed at him. "What we meant, was that if nobody was dead it could be a signal…. Or how do you say it, an omen?"

Masako raised her eyebrows, interested. "An…. Omen? But how would it be shown? I mean, would it even be possible for something like that to draw Mai's attention?"

"Ah…" John said, at loss for an answer.

"While its true that something as simple as an average omen of death would doubtlessly NOT draw Mai here, unless of course she WAS the omen, whish is highly unlikely. I was actually talking about a different type of thing." Naru said, looking out over the people's head in the room. Waiting a moment, Naru continued, "Doppelgangers."

"Doppelgangers?" John said, looking perplexed, "Like the ones out of German legend?"

"Yes, that's exactly it," Monk said, smirking proudly at Masako, "The legend stated that doppelgangers are a poltergeist like presence that appears as a persons double. They are, also, "He said looking grimly at the door where Mai had left through, "are said to be an omen of death to whomever they are seen as."

At that frowns spread all across the room. The situation was anything but joyous. For, after all, the presence of one of those beings foretold the coming of a death of someone who spent time in that building, and the building, of course, was used merely for their own purposes.

"Wait." Masako said, breaking the grim silence, "If the doppelganger appears as a person then how do we tell who the real one is?"

"Easy." Monk said, "Poltergeists are not only shadowless but cannot be seen in mirrors. Plus, we should be able to sense it, after all that's what we've got a medium for right?"

"Right." John said, "So…. Was anyone there in the building that day but Mai and I?"

"I don't believe so." Masako remarked thoughtfully, "I was out on a trip to Kyoto for the weekend, so I couldn't have been there. And, if I'm correct Monk had to visit family or something."

Monk nodded, "My first cousin's baby was recently born, so of course I had to some and see it."

John looked over at Naru, but he merely shook his head. "It was an off day, so I only worked at home. Lin was there with me, also working on cases."

John sighed. "Just Mai and me then…" He said, but then looked up, "Naru, what about any cleaning staff or other workers."

"Sunday," Naru repeated smoothly, "They were off. It was either you or Mai, that's that."

John sat back down in his seat and leaned towards the back of it, frustrated. An omen of death? But to whom, and how? Both he and Mai were young, and he could see no way they would die unless by an extremely unfortunate accident or murder.

Naru walked in the center of the group and cleared his throat. "So crew, we have two choices. One we keep the two locked up and under surveillance to make sure nothing happens, or two…"

"And that would be…?" Masako said calmly, fearing the answer.

"And two," Naru continued, raising his voice for a split second to regain the attention, "Would be two draw the doppelganger near."

"A.K.A. give out the bait." Monk whispered, glaring down at the floor.

**And what will they choose… Hmm… You should help me with that! R&R Please-New chappy should be up within the week, so please bother me if I don't keep my promise this time :D**


	4. Visitor

**OMG this took forever, srys!!! Forgive me? Lol, prbly not but tried *shrugs'. (my keyboard is screwing up guys, lol, its hard :( ah, nvm, thats better :)**

**Hmm, and which choice did I choose? Well the only one that would keep things going interesting of course :P (been taking an AP writing course btw, so hopefully I've gotten better :P**

Mai stood in the middle of the room. No matter how hard she tried her body and mind could not relax-a natural reaction of course when you're waiting for an omen of death, a death that may very well be your own. Sighing she sat on the chair and looked at the clock. It was three o'clock, which meant five more hours to go. This was going to be a long day, which meant she would have to yell at Naru tomorrow-either that or make up some story of how they had missed some rich guy talking about paying millions for a demon possession all because she was there and not authorized to agree to any decisions for him. Mai giggled maliciously at the thought.

*knock* *knock*

Mai jumped up at the sound, staring at the small slit she could see of the large main door from where she was. She stood up hurriedly, but however, was brought to a short stop of fear as the sound once again repeated itself.

*knock* *knock*

Mai stared at the door. Her mind raced with thoughts, so many that neither truly occupied her mind. It seemed an hour before the door opened. She stared at the edges of it, to see a human hand on the edge.

"Mai," a voice rang out across the hall, "Are you there?"

"Show yourself!" she yelled coarsely, amazed at herself and how much a person could change when plagued by fear. The door opened fully to reveal…

"John?!" You know you could have made things a little less suspicious, like calling or something!" She frowned at the priest.

At that John sighed, "You know, I was only here to bring you some lunch." He ended his sentence with a small smile. Mai stared in silence as he walked up and set the food on the table.

"But I'm not…" Her stomach growled loudly and she finished her sentence with head turned in a frustrated blush, "… hungry"

John chuckled, "Don't worry, monk made it not me, I'm just the messenger" his face, however grew suddenly stern, "eat it, Mai, you need a rest, plus, a job like this can take a lot out of you, and you're skinny enough already"

"Hey!" Mai yelled at him, "I'm not TOO skinny, thank you!"

Sitting down stubbornly she opened the bag which held her lunch. "Ooh!" she exclaimed quietly at the display before her. Monk had obviously had some cooking experience as before her laid a beautiful collaboration of rice, spiced shrimp, and vegetables, nicely overlaid with a desert of a few oniigiri, or rice balls, with a little message warning her of the octopus which lay inside. She picked up the small wooden chopsticks and was considering eating, however, not wanting to destroy the beautiful set up or the carved swan carrot on the side. She was disturbed, however, at the sound of the door closing. Looking up she wondered at John, and sighed at herself for failing to say goodbye.

Sadly she had also missed one other thing-the shadow which John had not had, and the cruel grin which smirk which lie upon his face.


	5. Surprises

Looking over, I'm in pitiful need of a good beta-reader  but ah well, here we go XD Btw, I've been keeping to straight legend untilt his chapter, where I added my own stuffage, still is rooted in legend, tho  Just sayign that for ya'll who appreciated the research that went into ghost hunt!

Mai flicked open her phone (a pity gift given to her by Naru the past year after seeing her old 'cellphone'). Someone had left a text message. Wondering at how she had missed the sound, she clicked on the 'read' button.

Hey! we were searching for info about the doppelgangers back Narus house, and we found this, hopefully it should help:

There was a file attached to the message, Mai opened it with a sharp click. What opened was an article with the simple title of 'doppelgangers'. Mai scrolled down, there had been a section which they had highlighted.

**While doppelgangers are meant to be fatal if one sees his or her own, it is merely a symbol of bad luck for one to be seen by the doppelgangers friends or relatives, and are known to merely be warnings of sickness or injury rather than death. However, ****…**

Mai frowned, there were things which needed to be cleared up. Hoping for the best she scrolled down to Naru's number on her phone's contact list, then promptly clicked the green button. She waited impatiently until she heard the answering of the phone on the other side of the line.

"Yes, Mai, what do you want? You're supposed to be staying low, remember?"

Mai glared out the phone, sometimes Naru could relaly be a pain. "I just got your message…"

"Ah yes, I remember that, now what about it? I'm in a hurry you know" He answered, he sounded preoccupied.

"Naru! Look, I'm calling for a reason okay!"

"Yes, I would hope there was a reason, now hurry up and tell me what that reason is"

Mai sighed, calming herself before continuing, "Look, I was wondering what you meant all the way. So you're saying that we're safe then, nothing more than an illness right?" Mai crossed her fingers, she was hoping that that small of a consequence would be it.

Naru paused. "We would like to hope that but…."

"But…?" Mai hated this, things were different when it came to her and the group being injured, and she was beginning to be frightened.

"Mai, I was looking into sources, and I've been seeing a pattern."

"What type of pattern?"

"There seems to be two stages. It starts with random showings of the doppelganger to friends or family of the person. That person will often times end up in the hospital by the end of the week. For some it ends there, but not for all."

"So…. What happens to the rest?"

"Well… it seems that a few of the cases were odd, information tended to not be finished up, so we dug deeper. Ends up that the hunters who had ran into these cases had attempted to delete all information on them afterwards, ending it after the spotting and the injury."

"So where did it really end?" Mai spoke in a whisper now, consumed by the information which she was hearing.

"Well, we talked to a few of these missing ones, two to be precise."

"And…?!"

"They're dead."

"What?" Mai gasped, "How…?"

"The family members said that after the people they had called had left weird things kept happenning. It ends up that both of the deaths started with the person being driven insane, constantly seeing strange figures, they said that it was almost as if the victims had been talking to themselves, but out of they're body."

A shiver ran up Mai's spine, "So, how did they die? Was it just the injury."

"No," Naru said flatly, "That was the oddest part. Both of these people, both of them committed suicide."

Mai, froze, but her silence was broken by the sound of fast voices speaking on the other end of the phone line. "Naru…? What's going on there?"

"Dammnit" Naru muttered under his breath, "Its John, Mai, he was shot."

Dum dum dum!!!! Oh, wat will happen next? Don't worry, I'll update really fast :P Sad as it is, the reason is I'm currently lonely and bored while everyone's ont heir trips :P but ah well, cookies for all the reviewers 

Btw, Ill recognize all of yall next time :) Thanks for reading!!!!!!!!! XD


	6. Chaining both Mind and Emotion

**Well… I tried… at least this was faster than last time right :P And I'm about to start the next chapter, so hopefully the next update should be before too long…. Stupid work, screwing everything up :P But yes R&R PLZ!!!!!!!!!!**

John stood up from his bed. Under his eyes were dark purple bags, making it impossible for the preist to hid the fact that he had not slept all night, making it impossible for anyone who saw the man to not suspect there was something more to his current condition.

_"You are thinking how to escape, aren't you?"_

John attempted to ignore the cold voice which resonated through his whole being, praying that he might have protection from this cruel fate which he was facing. Yet the voice continued to barge into him, as invisible chains materialized around John's wrists and ankles.

_"Do you honestly believe you can escape?!"_ The demon snared at john, his demonic red eyes lighting up in front of him, _"You fool, your faith cannot save you now!"_

The chains pulled John back, their metal scratching unseen into the whole to hell through which they emerged. The eyes stared once more, and the whole world went black before John's eyes.

Mai looked at Naru, who at the moment was undoubtedly unsettled, as they all were. His fingers tapped against the door of the car impatiently. His eyes constantly looked down at his watch.

"So…." Ayako said quietly, as the quiet disconcerted her even further, "What do we know?"

Naru sighed loudly, Monk turned away, Mai merely stared straight forward, a grimace being the only decoration to his otherwise feeling-less face.

"We know nothing more than it's a doppelganger." Naru said in his usual monotone voice, even though upon closer listening a waver might be heard. "We also know that many people who had the doppelganger of bad luck rather than that of death were later driven insane after an injury. We also know that most of these such victims were killed, if not all."

"How though…." Monk whispered, deep in thought, "And why would somebody have tried to keep it a secret."

"That," Naru stated blandly, "Is exactly what we are trying to find."

At this line Mai almost yelled at her overlly serious friend at his thoughtlessness-did he think of this as merely another job? Was he truly treating John as just another client? However, seeing her distress, it was Monk who stepped in.

He leaned over to speak quietly to her. "Mai, don't be angry." He said in a calm but stern voice, "He is merely taking control of the situation. It he was to think of John as John then he might make a rash decision, one which would put not only John but the rest of us in trouble, he may seem thoughtless to you, but he means the best, this is just all that he can do… all that we can do."

After this Monk offered Mai one of his large smiles. "Plus-its _John_ remember? No doppelganger will be able to defeat him."

Mai gave a small smile, and even almost chuckeled as Monk did a 'buff-up' banging of his chest. She had a feeling everything would be allright. But she couldn't seem to rid herself of that thought which persisted in the recesses of her mind.

After all, wasn't she the one that had seen the fowl beast?

Wasn't she the only one who could stop it?

**And Now, sorry for all the badly written drama this chapter btw… but because I promised Im gonna be working on a thnx to all the reviewers ******** will be the next chappy!**


	7. thnx to all!

Okay!!!! This is a thankees chapter to my reviewers!!!!

Firstly, I apologize for a procrastination-it is a habit I am attempting to stop (notice the attempting :P)

Nextly, to the important part XD So yeah, just so yall know, this is the most views and reviews Iv ever had, thankyou so much!!! I hope its worth your time! I write fictionpress but everyone ignores me there  but ah well, you get the point  But LUCKILY theres few enough people that I can actually thank everyone  (not for the faves or alerts tho… Im not sure how to check that one :P)

So here we go:

The Enemy: Thankyou for saving me from my dreadful mistake with Johns home country before too many ppl saw it :P And yes, you were the first reviewer!!! Much appreciated!!!! Extra cookies for You!!!!!!

Artemis007: Lol, short and sweet, always nice XD Every author enjoys the contructive criticism, but yall who give us a break are just as loved!!!! Thanks a ton!!!! I hope that you still read  And Ill try to keep john cool without making him OOC.

Faerex: Once again, nice, short, and simple  Looking back, a lot of yall liked John :P Im glad… even though you probably hate me now if you're still reading :P Hope you havn't ditched me for someone who updates more often yet!!!!!

Tashie1010: Umm… so yeah, it took me forever to update . srys!!!! But thankyou!!!! I loved your review!!! It gave me a warm fuzzy feeling!! (not the one that makes you want to puke btw, just to clarriffy :P

Forever dreamin: All I can say is… I hope you got to read the next!

Hiya24: Hi! Thanks, I thinkt hat yours was the longest review that I've ever gotten with this story, so thankyou ver much  And I will have you know that I fixed John's ethnicity pretty soon after you and The Enemy told me about it, so all is good there I hope that if you're still reading that it went in a way which you enjoy  Feel free to help me any tiem lol… I need it XD Btw, srys for all the spell checks right now… spell chack broke on my comp, so I am doing my own stuff, which, needless to say, isn't exactly efficient :P Also, since Im going here, I noticed that you actually helped me multiple times  Once again, thankyou for all the help you've given me!!! And don't worry, this is going to be more Mai/John freindship fic  (sry ppls who want it!!! But if you DO want one, just ask me, Ill write it later :P) But yes, Ill try not to break any rules  Hope your holidays went well too! Have a nice summer!

Angeluv: Thanks bunches, and thnx for the constructive criticism, I've been trying to keep everyone in character ever since, I know I made John a little too much like Monk in that first chapter. Feel free to remind me in the future!!!

Nephie-chan: Needless to say I did not update soon  But I am now… forgive me plz!!!! XD And thankyou for wishign a good vacation!!!!! Go ppl who care!!!!

DazzleMeRose: Hiyas!!! Im glad I've got you anticipating! Im srys that I couldn't keep up… hopefully things are going at a better speed now, even though I'm trying to get weekly updates down! Thanks for the compliment!! And I hopet hat you havn't left me yet!!!

Dracos-gurl23: Well… srys for not hurrying to write more!!! But thankyou for sounding so excited!!!!!!!

Shyper-ness: Lol, well Im glad it was interesting!!! I hope that it still is 

Sara Moon: Thankyou!!! Oh great person who acutally answered my question, you were a great help!!!!! And yes, so I chose bait, and I hope you liked how it turned out  Hope its keeping interesting, hope that you're still there!!!!

CrazyMel2008: Why do I get the feeling that you're one of them who ahs been here since the beginning and stood through my abuse? . Well, thankyou!!!! You've got patience, which I respect dearly  I hope the reviews are more often now and help you better  Ill try to keep up!!!! But yes, you asked for pairings right? Well, like I said, I'm doing a Mai/John freindship, plus putting in a little Mai/Naru romance with a little monk flirting snuk in. There will prbly, however, be some Monk/Ayako just cus I think they belong together lol :P But yes, if theres enough ppl who want a John/Mai romance then I may do a split story and write under a dif name for the romance one, or just start a new fic if its asked :P Your choice completely XD Yes, btw, that was a doppelganger at the end of chappy 4 XD well, thanks for the review!

Heavenslilagl420: Lol, yay, more short and sweet! Well, thankyou for the reviews  I hope that you continue to enjoy the story  Ps: Ill try not to be too mean to John!!!! .

. . Just ifnore wat happenned in the latest update XD

Kay Kit: Lol, shorter and sweeter!! Thankees!!!!!! Im glad that you enjoyed it so much!!! I hope that you'll continue to enjoy itand won't hate me for what I did/am doing to John!!!!

Twilight-twins2: I must admit, I wasn't quite sure if you even liked my story :P And after two reviews, still am not exactly lol :P But, noetheless, I hope that it is most enjoyable, and that the updates are coming fast enough for your tastes :P Have a Great Summer! (Btw, you're gonna hate me after you read the latest chappy :P)

'Cherry Butterfly': Well, I hope that you keep enjoying the chapters, and that my updates aren't TOO few and far between  Just tell me if theres any thing that you suggest with the story!!! Thanks a bunch!!!

So there we go, I hit all of you!!!

Well ya'll, have a great summer  I hope that life is going easy on you and that my chapters start getting, or stay, ineresting  You have no idea how happy I am that I have received nothing close to a flame, so thankyou a bunch!!!! I repsect all of you who have stayed with me for your patience, and I will try my best to not keep testing it!!!

Hope you enjoyed my latest update!!!!

As always, if theres anything that you want to see, just name it 

As for future reviewers, Ill try to PM you like I used to  Let yall know I appreciate the time and all of that-you know how it goes!

So thanks again!!!! If it wasn't for you I would have given up so long ago!!!

I hope ya'll continue enjoying it!!! And I hope more ppl do too!!!! (don't worry, my ego is only so high :P I don't think this stories anything near one of the greatest on fanfiction-or for Ghost Hunt fanfiction even, just making sure  I only want to recognize yall is all)

So thankyou!

And lets all hope that I passed my AP Eng exam :P

Have a great summer, once again!!!

And Ill try to start reading yalls stuff, hopefully do a favor in return!!!

Thankyou!!!

And now to start the next chappy!

PS: As for John/Mai relationship stuffage, just pm me or review this story with your views 

I Love all of You!!!

See yas laters XD


	8. Psychology

**Okay, so yeah, my only hope at this point is that I get some new readers as, doubtlessly, the old ones will probably never find this, haha! Thanks all the same though, I promise to finish the story this time (not in this chapter of course though!) and as I'm currently taking university online until next fall, I should have plenty of time. Just no pressure in finals week plz!**

**Anyways, I realized some flaws in the beginning of the story and may repost the original chapters 1-6 before too long. Hopefully the people who used to read this, if you're still there, haha, will notice an improvement in writing style since those sad days :P**

**But, without further ado:**

Damsel in Distress Chapter 8

Psychology

___Within a pitch black oblivion, gold rimmed red eyes opened. Sharp teeth showed in an evil grin as a deep voice echoed throughout the emptiness like that of a god, am angry god who wished for nothing more than the pain of the prophet._

_ "You know you cannot defeat me."_

_ Tired John rolled over on the thin hospital mattress, his eyes remaining closed as he spoke to that terrible creature who dwelt within him._

_ "What do you want?" The priest murmured quietly, attempting a force that did not show for the pains of his weariness._

_ "The voice cackled and John felt a cold clammy hand reach out to place a subtle yet threatening force on his neck._

_ "Why, dear reverend, do you ask? You already know of my desire."_

_ The eyes opened further and a sharp pain went through his head—_

"Huff…huff…." The young man breathed heavily as he sprung up, nearly knocking down the stand with the blood pack on it that was keeping him stable. Sweat covered his brow and body and he shook with a heart filled with fear.

In loneliness and desperation he hugged his knees into his chest in search of subtle comfort ignoring the pain that rose in his lower abdomen doing so. He tucked his head down and stared, as he had not the courage to close his eyes. "Yes…" He whispered to no-one, "I know…but…why….?"

With that he curled even deeper within himself and sat.

ELSEWHERE

Mai pulled up the next website with a sigh and a grimace. This case was taking far too long to solve, and everything was happening far too fast. She almost jumped out of her seat when her phone suddenly buzzed, and nearly dropped it once or twice while retrieving it.

Fumbling until she finally managed to press the answer button she moved the phone to her ear. "Yes…?"

"Mai? It's Naru."

Mai glared at the wall, nice to know someone was still his self. She didn't bother with an answer, but gave a small noise of confirmation.

"Have you managed to find something?" He asked monotonously.

Her glare darkened, "Last time I heard _I_ wasn't the local expert. Have _you_ found anything?"

The group leader was not the least bit phased, "Yes in fact we have."

Mai practically broke the phone…if only she could break his ego as easily.

Without a break he continued, "We were looking through the old cases again and Masako came up with an idea."

She was interested now and then scolded herself for supporting his narcicism. Damn him for always being right, but in this case it was technically Masako, so it could be forgiven she supposed.

"Really? What exactly did she have in mind?"

Mai heard some papers flipping. "Masako thought that we may be able to summon the spirits of one of the victims. As most of them died in such violent cases it should not be difficult to find one of them lingering about."

Mai nodded, "That…makes sense. So where do we start?" She was already gathering her things, they didn't have any time to waste and she had gotten beyond antsy.

"Well, we'd start with the suicide we thought. It's a two hour drive to the house, but all things considered that shouldn't be bad."

Her heart sunk, what about….?

"And don't worry about John, Monk is staying with him." Naru's words caused the feeling to immediately disappear.

Mai nodded again "Sounds good."

"All right then," the dark haired man said, "I'll be there in five, pack your bags for an overnighter."

"All right be packed in five…" She said idly, "Yeah…okay…Hey wait! I can't-" The phone beeped as the other line hung up.

She sighed. No, she didn't care if he helped occasionally. She could never approve of anything about that man.

CHAPTER END

**And just for you guys…. Warning plot will stay the same but I may change phrasing a bit on this one ;):**

Chapter 9 Preview

Mai looked around, everyone had stopped moving. As she turned to the place of the summoning she saw a ghost. It was a woman not too much older than her. She wore simple clothing of jeans and a shirt. Her hair was cut in a short bob. She looked familiar…

She looked….

It hit her like a sucker punch to the diaphragm.

She looked like her.

"Hello Mai," The body said, and as its eyes opened they were a menacing red and gold, "We've been waiting for you."

**MWAHAHA! RETURN FOR NEXT CHAPTER!**

**And oh yeah, R&R s'il vous plaites ;)**

**GinneFletcher**


	9. Meet Kanna

Damsel in Distress Chapter 9

**Okay, so here's chapter nine! I've written better and didn't get quite as far as I'd hoped plot wise, but didn't want to rush it, so I hope you'll forgive me! BUT I wish you the most enjoyable of reads all the same! And thank you all for the alerts that came with the last chapter, I hope its continuation lives up to your expectations! I should have the next chapter out before too long.**

Kanna

The group pulled up to the old house and removed themselves silently, taking in the surroundings. The place was nothing special, just a simple older style Japanese house with a small yard. It was the only one in the area. As they were surveying an old couple walked out of the front door.

Naru approached them and offered his hand to each, which they took silently. "Hello, you are the Himatachi family, I presume? I am Kazuya Shibuya, I believe I contacted you last week."

The man nodded, "Yes I remember, you wanted to ask us about Hidomi." His eyes portrayed little kindness, and mistrust shone boldly.

The woman beside him said nothing.

Naru turned around and nodded a signal to the group that they follow him, and they all entered into a large room in the house where they sat around a small table. The old woman came and poured them freshly made matcha green tea.

After a certain amount of awkward silence had pasted Mai took it upon herself to start things. "So this girl," She said, choosing her words carefully, "Was she related to you somehow."

It was the man who answered, "She was our daughter."

At this Mai did nothing but nod, and stared at her hands. It was always dangerous pressing subjects such as this. They needed information, information that people were oft slow to give. Yet to press could mean giving up any chance of them ever obtaining any sort of clues.

Luckily the man continued. "She was only nine years old when it all started." Looking at the puzzled expression on Mai and Masako's faces he continued, "It lasted two years total. She had been such a happy girl, and we expected great things out of her. A good student, with a large group of friends.

"Yet one day, all changed. A week before the accident my wife said that she had seen my daughter playing alone in the stream behind her house after school. But, you see, my daughter had not come straight home from school that day as she had music lessons to attend—you see, she played the flute."

A common frown had spread throughout the group. It was not hard to tell where this story was going.

"But, alas," He said, putting a determined look of strength on his face which had fallen at the memory of his daughter's music, "even though my wife saw more such appearances, we cared little for the occult and contacted no-one. It was a terrible decision as a week after the appearance my daughter tripped and fell into the pond, breaking her arm completely to where she needed surgery and also cutting her head open.

"After the operation she said that she started seeing visions, and awoke often from night terrors." He closed his eyes at remembering such a painful memory, "The doctors said it was because of her head, you see, but to her it was so real! They marked her as unstable, and her unwillingness to be healed caused her health to falter, and she was kept at the hospital. A month after her eleventh birthday—exactly two years after the incident—she was found in the middle of the night by a visitor to the hospital. She had cut her own wrists and thrown herself out of the window. They said it was insanity…but the mortuary had trouble rooting the cause just the the damage from the accident. Later on we met a researcher of the supernatural coincidentally and he mentioned doppelgangers. It was in that moment that we discovered the first sighting as well as various others that had happened after.

"You see," he said coldly, "if it was insanity it was because of something else. Our daughter had not been week, she had been tortured. She said it was a voice, a terrible voice. And now look at what that terror has done to us! My wife—" he gestured to her "—has not spoken since Kanna's death. She blames herself for seeing the beasts and not catching the terror before it consumed our beloved girl."

The man sighed and looked between each of the Ghost Hunters firmly, "Is that enough information for you? Have you learned all that you wished to know?"

"Actually," Naru said smoothly, "We have a small request."

That Night

Though the old couple was not at all fond of having the dark past of their households yet again right before them, they had agreed to let Masako summon the spirit of their daughter. With that purpose in mind the group gathered in the old play room that the Kanna had spent much of her childhood. Ayako was dressed in her robes for safety sake and stood with Naru a little ways away from the circle that Masako had prepared. Lin waited with the dead girl's parents in the kitchen below. Mai, however, at her own request, sat beside the medium.

Masako looked at Naru who nodded curtly for her to start. And the both girls closed their eyes to begin the ritual. It took barely any time before the overwhelming force of another prescence entered the small room and the candles that Masako had set up flitted out.

She was there.

Kanna's ghost was young and frail. She wore a worn simple gown that they supposed had belonged to the hospital where she had died. In her hand she held a teddy bear for comfort. Her eyes held pitch black shadows. Her expression reeked of fear.

"Who are you?" She said in a high whisper that echoed off the walls.

"I am Masako Hara." The summoner said steadily, "And these are my friends."

The girl looked around at the others, and then at the area itself and her eyebrows furrowed, "Why are you in my room?"

Masako made sure not to falter in her response, "I'm here for you, Kanna."

The girl tilted her head and looked back at Masako.

"For me?"

"Yes," Masako stated gently, "We need your help."

To this the girl said nothing, but seeing no anger in her eyes, the older, and somewhat more alive, girl continued, "Yes, Kanna, we would like you to tell us something."

All this Mai had been watching in a sort of trance. The girl was so young, and yet, her ghost was so steady. She knew the look of terrified strength within the girl's eyes as one she had once seen in her own. The look of a girl who had felt pain, and now expected it nothing more than a natural part of the world, with happiness as but a far memory. It pained her to use such a being.

"Tell you what?" Kanna had barely paused and she continued to look at Masako.

Masako closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and focused—readying herself for the onset of emotion that may very well come. "Who did this to you Kanna? You said someone had talked to you before you died who was it?"

Kanna looked confused. "Talked to me?" She whispered, looking up as she thought, "Talked to me…?"

The girl thought for a moment and then her eyes shot open.

And with a scream, everyone's worlds went black.

**OKAY…so I didn't make it to where the preview was, but, it is in the next chapter, just really, I shouldn't push this one any further. Either way, I'm sorry that this one isn't so smooth, but hope it was enjoyable all the same! Feel free to review, even if the feedback is pointing out small errors (even though flaming isn't QUITE so appreciated, haha!)**

**But yes, I hope you liked! I'll try to update the story once or twice a week until it's completion! Have a good one all, and thank you for reading!**


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